Who Is Ash Cash And What Makes Him One Of Black Enterprise’s Modern Men?

Ash Cash, born Ash Exantus, has plenty to be proud of, and if you haven’t heard of him, now’s a good time to learn.

By Ryan Velez

Ash Cash, born Ash Exantus, has plenty to be proud of, and if you haven’t heard of him, now’s a good time to learn. The 36-year old has crafted a strong brand for himself as what he describes as a “wealth coach,” serving as a personal finance expert in speaking engagements, podcasts, and a contributing writer to many financial and Black websites. Black Enterprise recently recognized Cash as one of its Black Enterprise Modern Man 100 Men of Distinction, and after hearing his background, this is both a huge honor for him and coincidence.

“Growing up, while many of my peers were reading The Source and playing video games, I read Black Enterprise, so at an early age I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur and BE set the blueprint to make it happen,” said Cash in an interview with Black Enterprise. “Being recognized by the very publication that has a lot to do with my success is a privilege and honor. I have dedicated my life to helping people maximize their full potential so hopefully my story can inspire others like the stories I’ve read in BE have inspired me.”

Despite his current success, Cash knows better than many what it is like to struggle, but also to turn said struggle into success. “I grew up low income in public housing and in a single-parent home. My mom did her best to provide for us but as a Haitian immigrant who didn’t speak much English it was hard for her to make ends meet. For most of my childhood and even during some of my young adult years I struggled with how I can financially support my family.” He adds how this background led to negative views about money that took years to shake, sometimes resulting in him going right back to struggling even after making some money. However, this up-and-down struggle has now become an asset in his career, helping him explain to others how to avoid his past mistakes. As he puts it, “you are not a failure when you fail, you are a failure when you give up.”

Many Black people in business struggle with a lack of mentorship, so Cash made sure to take a moment to address his fellow Black men with some advice on making a difference, namely, jumping right in. “Start where you are right now and do something that will have a positive impact in someone else’s life. Many times people wait until they’ve reached a certain level of success before they start giving back, but I believe no matter who you are, where you are right now can benefit someone for the better.”

Cash’s latest projects will be a series of books for teens and college-age students on money management, as well as a guide for financially responsible parenting and an online course on credit.